Are you damaging your hair without knowing?
Hair Tips

Are you damaging your hair without knowing?

Everybody wants healthy looking luscious locks, but more often than not we don’t know how to preserve and protect our hair. Hair is naturally incredibly strong: a single strand could hold 100g, and the combined hair of a whole head could support 12 tonnes, or the weight of two elephants! But if hair is so strong, how come hair breakage occurs? Hair is made up of over 50 different types of natural proteins which gives hair its strength and rigidity, but when exposed to damaging factors, the hair cuticle layer can diminish, making hair weaker and more prone to breakage. Even those of us who don’t suffer with extremely dry and brittle hair are guaranteed to be putting our hair through copious amounts of daily damage, maybe without even realising it!

As part of our Solutions line, our brand new Give Me Strength range has arrived to help you to reduce and prevent hair breakage and damage – it’s basically a workout regime for your hair (without the need to get a sweat on!). Laboratory tested and proven to reduce breakage by 68% after only one use, this tremendous trio works tirelessly to improve hair strength as well as help to boost new hair growth. But, the solution is only half the equation. For your best hair yet, we need to get to the root of the problem and tackle what is causing the breakage. We are going to run you through some of the most common ways your hair becomes damaged and highlight the cause of hair loss. Plus! We'll be explaining how you can help avoid these aggressors to achieve the healthy, fresh-out-the-salon locks you truly deserve!

 

 

Heated tools

This is a relatively well-known fact; as great as a bouncy head of heated curls or poker-straight tresses can make us feel, it isn’t the best practice when it comes to the health of your hair. The structure of our hair strands is made up from proteins, known as keratin. When heat at high temperatures is directly applied to the hair, it can break down these proteins, which are responsible for the hair’s strength and integrity. This creates the perfect conditions for breakages to occur and dreaded split ends to make an unwelcome appearance. Whilst it can be a nice change to leave your hair to dry and be styled naturally without heat from time to time, we know full well you will not be completely sacrificing your hair dryers, curlers or straighteners any time soon! (But try to use heated tools less often and your hair will thank you for it.) Luckily our Give Me Strength range is here to help minimise the damage caused by heat styling. All of the products in the range work as a keratin treatment, working to replace the proteins lost through damage. Formulated with wheat proteins and amino acids, the strengthening formulas plug the protein-deprived areas of the hair to rebuild the surface of the cuticle. This effectively improves the strength of each hair strand and creates a protective barrier, so that hair is less susceptible to breakage and damage. So, if you’re a fan of heat styling (and who isn’t!), this protein-rich range will make sure your locks look fabulous rather than frazzled.

 

Colouring, Bleaching and Relaxing

Another fact which may not particularly shock you is that chemical treatments, and in particular bleaching and relaxing your hair, can lead to hair damage and breakage. This happens as chemical treatments can break down the hair cuticle, causing hair damage, dryness and eventually it becoming broken and brittle. Hair is not self-repairing, so the more often we have these treatments, the more damage we expose our hair to. This is where our Give Me Strength range comes to the rescue! Hair behaves similarly to spaghetti (stay with us, this analogy does make sense!). When it is dry, hair (like spaghetti), becomes prone to snapping and breaks easily. However, when it absorbs moisture, it becomes more malleable and becomes far more difficult to break. Your hair is no different (told you we were onto something!). By infusing chemically-treated hair with moisture, we can help to improve the condition and prevent it from become weak, fragile and brittle. This is why our Give Me Strength Strengthening Conditioner is a new must have for your haircare routine.  Moisture-rich ingredients including coconut oil and camelia seed oil nourish the most damaged areas of the hair, as well as working to, soften, smooth and prevent split ends. This hydration boost allows hair strands to stretch rather than snap, so your hair to stays in tip top shape. With all the products in our Give Me Strength range packed with deeply hydrating ingredients, you can continue to enjoy getting those highlights or colour guilt free!

 

Brushing when wet

Your hair is not as strong when it is wet, meaning even the simple act of brushing can cause damage over time. Wet hair in good condition can be stretched by up to 30% of its original length without suffering any damage (pretty crazy right!). However, when stretched beyond this, permanent damage can occur. When wet, the bonds that make up the hair are weakened, making it more fragile. So rough towel drying and aggressively trying to brush through any knots straight out the shower is a big no no! Ideally you should try to let your hair air dry before combing through, but we are well aware life gets busy and a girl on-the-go wants quick and easy fabulous results! The solution is to make our hair as strong as possible so that it can withstand brushing without becoming broken. Our Give Me Strength Strengthening Shampoo and Conditioner are lab-test proven to reduce hair breakage by 54% after only one use. The powerful, fortifying formulas unite together to repair, detangle and smooth the hair, (without leaving it feeling heavy), combatting damage caused by brushing. And, because this shampoo and conditioner are dermatologically tested and paraben, sulphate & silicone free, they are gentle enough to use for every wash, and won’t cause any build up. We’ve always said it – great hair starts in the shower™ and it’s no exception when it comes to our Give Me Strength pair. Start your daily hair routine with this durable duo to get your hair into the best shape of its life!

 

Tight Ponytails

A slicked back ponytail is a sleek and chic style to be rocking (not to mention it is ideal for concealing greasy roots), but did you know it could be causing some serious damage to your hair? High, tight ponytails can put serious strain on your scalp, especially around your hairline where your hair is weakest, which makes hair more susceptible to breaking. If this is your go to style, make sure that you give your hair a hard-earned rest from time to time. Try sleeping with your hair down at night and properly caring for your hair between styling and when washing. Since tight, slicked back styles cause tension and put an extra strain on your hair follicles, it is so important to care for your scalp and the follicles which form the base of your hair. All the products in our Give Me Strength range contain Sweet White Lupine, a key active that helps encourage new hair growth and helps to prevent hair fall. This clever ingredient increases the circulation around the hair follicle and facilitates the supply of oxygen and nutrients required for hair development whilst simultaneously helping to inhibit the production of the hormone responsible for alopecia. So, if you are spotting some thinning around the hairline, this miracle ingredient could help get your tresses back on track. Our Give Me Strength Strengthening Scalp Concentrate in particular contains a high concentration of Sweet White Lupine, making it a great staple to add to your regime if you’re looking to increase the density of your locks. Just a few drops of this treatment applied after every wash should do the trick. Say hello to your hair’s new best friend!

 

 

Now you are more aware of the daily stress your hair endures, treat it to some well-deserved care and protection with our Give Me Strength range, with amazing scientific formulas fit to fortify your hair, whatever life throws at it. Click here to check our our Give Me Strength Range online at percyandreed.com.